Old golf course site should become a park

June 26, 2014

I recently wrote a letter to Mr. Doug Dieck, president of Ryan Companies Incorporated,Inc., in followup to an earlier letter sent to Mr. McHale in March. I basically had asked Mr. Hale to be a willing seller of the old Cape Coral Country Club Golf Course to Lee County's 20/20 Program, which buys environmentally sensitive lands. To date I have not had the pleasure of his response to this request.

Since then, we here in the Cape have collected hundreds of Cape voting citizens signatures to keep the golf course green. The Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife, the only environmental group in the Cape, has voted to keep it as a park as has the local Audubon Club. The local newspaper, The Breeze, wants it green.We had another newspaper poll that said 56 percent of respondents wanted a park . Both polls voted about the same.

Why? This is the only large green space left in suburban Cape Coral. It would make our city unique to have a Central Park South. A place to see American eagles who nest there, fox, kestrels and hundreds of other birds and wildlife species. The children still fish it. With its four or five ponds, it's the best fishing spot in our city. Why put another humdrum housing or development or commercial center in a paradise for wildlife and fishing, hiking, birding, picnicking, and getting away from it all? For our children and residents for generations to come this would be a colossal mistake to develop any of it. Additionally, the people could have herb, vegetable and flower gardens, native plants demonstration plots to attract birds and butterflys. A green community meeting place. Maybe, a parks and rec center.

I ask that the owners please consider looking into the 20/20 Land Program or other options of which there are many. I have talked to the man who was in charge of the golf course several years ago before he left it and he assured me he would do the best for the people with it. This is the best for the people by far.